The Battle of Havant was fought in late 1066 between the armies of the Norman nobleman William FitzOsbern and the Anglo-Saxon English noble Hrotheweard of Winchester. Hrotheweard led an army out of Winchester to recapture the port town of Selsey, but FitzOsbern led his army south from Midhurst to confront the invading Anglo-Saxon army. He cornered the English along the coast at Havant, where he destroyed the English army.
History[]
After capturing Selsey in late 1066 and completing his occupation of West Sussex, the Norman noble William FitzOsbern brought his army northwest to occupy the unprotected Anglo-Saxon village of Middeherst (Midhurst) before he would march southwest to capture the major port city of Portchester and then continue on to Southampton and then Winchester. His plans were complicated when a hastily-assembled English army led by the Saxon nobleman Hrotheweard of Winchester marched out of Winchester to threaten Selsey as William marched on Midhurst. William was forced to march south to meet the English army, cornering it on the coast near present-day Havant, midway between Selsey and Portchester.
In the ensuing battle, the Norman knights once again proved their mettle. While the Normans were able to outflank the significantly outnumbered Norman infantry, the Norman cavalry attacked the English from the rear and slaughtered their retreating warriors, decimating the English army. Only 65 English warriors escaped, led by Aelnoth of Porteceaster, and they would later join forces with Aelfric's army. The victory at Havant allowed for FitzOsbern to peacefully occupy Portchester and Southampton before besieging and capturing Winchester.